“Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon ’em.”
- Source
- Twelfth Night
- Date
- c. 1601
- Local voice
- Reported speaker · Maria’s forged letter, read by Malvolio
Meaning of “Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and…”
The sentence distinguishes inherited status, earned achievement, and unexpected responsibility, making greatness look less like one single path.
Where does it come from?
Twelfth Night, Act II, Scene 5; 1922 Yale Shakespeare edition edited by George Henry Nettleton, printed page 43 / Wikisource scan leaf 55. Malvolio reads “some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them” from Maria’s forged letter written in Olivia’s supposed voice as part of the prank. The maxim remains an embedded deceptive written voice rather than Malvolio’s original saying or Shakespeare’s direct advice about success.
Why the local voice matters
In Twelfth Night, Act 2, Scene 5, Malvolio reads the maxim from the forged letter composed by Maria in Olivia’s supposed voice. The wording belongs to the prank’s written persona rather than to Malvolio as original speaker.
